1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to accessories for the game of golf and more specifically, to an apparatus for measuring the preferred angle between the golf club shaft and the golf club head sole to suit the individual golfer.
2. Prior Art
It is well known in the sport of golf that when the golfer addresses the ball, the sole line of the golf club head should be parallel to the playing surface. In the event there is a non-zero angle between the sole and the playing surface then depending upon the direction of that angle, either the toe end of the sole or the heel end of the sole of the golf club head will come in contact with the playing surface before the rest of the sole during the stroke. Such unequal surface contact creates a torque of the golf club head at the point of impact with the golf ball. Consequently, the ball tends to curve to the left or the right depending upon the direction of the angle between the sole and the golf playing surface.
In order to remedy this potential detrimental non-zero angle between the sole and the playing surface it is often necessary to provide the golfer with a set of clubs in which the head is positioned at a slightly different angle with respect to the golf club shaft than one finds in standard golf clubs. This necessity commonly arises when the golfer is either significantly shorter, taller or of different posture than the average person or has significantly longer or shorter arms, legs or torso than the average person.
In the prior art known to the applicant, compromising the conventional method for determining whether a golfer needs a non-standard angular relationship between his golf club head and the shaft, one merely permits the golfer to assume his most comfortable ball addressing position with a standard golf club in hand while the golf pro or salesman examines the sole of the golf club head to measure the extent to which the sole is at an angle which is non-zero with respect to the underlying surface. Typically, it is necessary for the golf pro or salesman to stoop down to the surface beneath the golf club head and either measure the angle using a protractor-type instrument or using angular shims which give a rough measure of the deviation from a zero degree angle. Sometimes a mirror is used as a visual aid. Unfortunately, such a prior art method is neither particularly convenient nor particularly accurate in most cases because of the inherent difficulty in measuring small angles so close to the underlying surface. As a result, the prior art method for measuring this angle suffers from the disadvantages of being time-consuming and unreliable. There is therefore an existing need for an apparatus which will permit more accurate and less time-consuming measurement of the angle between the sole of a golf club head and the underlying surface when a golfer positions himself in a ball addressing configuration such as for buying a set of clubs.